Method of inserting stoppers into bottles



Oct. 20, 1953 T. A. HAYNES 2,656,086

METHOD OF INSERTING STOPPERS INTO BOTTLES Filed April 11, 1950 I un g lwal 3| '7/g5. 41 594 42 THOMAS .4. HA YNES 38 3nventor Y (Ittomeg Patented 0a. 20, 1953 METHOD OF INSERTING STOPPERS INTO BOTTLE Thomas A. Haynes, Wyandotte, Mich., assignor to The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application April 11, 1950, Serial No. 155,279

5 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a method for inserting a resilient stopper having a substantially flat top and a cylindrical shank into a circular opening in a container, especially Where said opening is of less diameter than the normal diameter of said shank.

Known means and methods for automatically inserting a resilient stopper into an opening in a container, such a a bottle, have not proven satisfactory, particularly where the shank of i the stopper is larger in diameter than the opening in the bottle, where the stopper is of the type having a fiat circular top and a cylindrical shank of reduced diameter, or Where said shank must be kept completely sterile prior to and during its insertion into a bottle. These requirements are all frequently encountered in the stoppering of bottles in the pharmaceutical industry, for one example.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is the provision of a method for distorting a resilient stopper having a fiat top and a cylindrical shank, whereby said shank may be insertedinto a circular opening, such as the neck of a bottle, especially where said shank is normally larger in diameter than the inside of said neck.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a method, as aforesaid, applicable when the stopper has a fiat circular top of greater diameter than the stopper shank.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a method, as aforesaid, whereby the shank diameter of a stopper, particularly of the type having a hollow shank, can be reduced without physically contacting said shank.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a method, as aforesaid, whereby the shank diameter of a stopper can be substantially reduced by contacting only the top of the stopper.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will become apparent to persons familiar with this type of equipment upon referring to the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following specification.

In meeting those objects heretofore mentioned, as well as other incidental thereto and associated therewith, I have developed a method for inserting a resilient stopper having a fiat top and a cylindrical shank into the neck of a bottle, wherein a partial vacuum is created in a zone immediately adjacent to the central portion of said fiat top of the stopper and the periphery of said top is held in a substantially fixed position with respect to said zone. Thus, said vacuum causes the center portion of said top to move out of its normal plane and into said zone. Such movement distorts said stopper and thereby effects a reduction in its shank diameter, particularly at the end of the shank remote from the top.

A preferred apparatus for practicing this method is comprised of a vertically reciprocable ram having a concave surface at the lower end thereof. A passage in said ram, which communicates with the concavity formed by said concave surface, is connected to a suction device whereby a partial vacuum may be provided in said concavity.

For illustrations of said preferred apparatus, attention is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a broken, side elevation view of a ram and associated parts whereby my method may be practiced.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the lower end of said ram substantially as taken along the hue IIII of Figure l. a

Figure 3 is a broken, side elevation view of an adapter, removably securable to the lower end of the ram, with a stopper distorted thereby.

Figure 4 is a broken, side elevation view of a modified adapter for the lower end of the ram.

Figure 5 is a sectional view substantially as taken along the line V-V of Figure 3 and includes a broken line showing of the stopper in another position.

Construction For the purpose of convenience in description, the terms, upper or upwardly and "lower or downwardly, as used in the following specification, will be understood to have reference to the upper and lower ends, respectively, of the apparatus, or parts thereof, when positioned as appearing in Figure l. The terms inner or inwardly and outer or outwardly shall be understood to have reference to the geometric center of said apparatus, or parts thereof.

The apparatus 19 (Figure 1), whereby my method may be practiced, is comprised of a ram ii, a ram support !2, in which said ram is vertically reoiprocably supported, an actuating arm [3, whereby said ram is vertically reciprocated, and an adapter l4, removably securable to the lower end of the ram Ii.

As shown in Figure 1, the ram II is comprised of a cylindrical bar vertically reciprocably sup-- ported within the ram support I2 and having a I8 (Figure 1) encircles the lower exposed and f the ram II. The bellows I8 is supported at concavity 4| in the lower end thereof is cylindrical rather than a portion of a sphere. The cylindrical cavity 4| is slightly smaller in diameter than the circumference of the adapter 40 and co-axial therewith, thereby providing a contact ring 42 which may be substantially identical to the contact ring on the adapter I4. It will be recognized that other types of concavities may be provided in the adapter without departing its upper end upon a nipple 2|, which is secured V to the lower side of the ram support I2 and extends downwardly therefrom around the ram II. The lower end of the bellows I8 is secured to a collar 22 secured upon the lower end of the ram adjacent to the threaded. portion I3 thereof.

An outlet opening (Figure 1), communicating with the upper end of the passage I6, and radially disposed with respect thereto, is provided in the yoke I5. The walls of said opening may be threaded near the outer end thereoffor appropriate reception of a nipple 23 attached to one end of a suction hose 3%. The suction hose 36 is connected to a suitable suction means, such as a vacuum pump, shown schematically at 33.

The adapter I4 (Figures 2 and 3), is cylindricalin shape, has a preferably co-axial passage 23 therethrough, and is provided with an integral annular flange 24 adjacent to one end thereof, said flange preferably being slightly smaller in diameter than said ram. The lower end of the adapter I4, remote from said flange 24, is provided in this embodiment with a spherical, concave surface 28 defining the concavity 33. Said surface 28 is preferably co-axial with, and somewhat smaller in diameter than the circumference of said adapter I4, thereby providing a contact ring 21 at said lower end of said adapter i4 lying in a plane preferably perpendicular to the axis thereof.

The outside diameter of the contact ring 21,. which is coincident with the circumference of the adapter I4, is preferably about equal to the diameter of the flat top 32 of the stopper 3| with which said adapter is to be used.

The adapter coupling II (Figures 1 and 2),v which has a partially threaded opening 3|) therethrough, is provided with an internally extending, annular ridge 25 adjacent to one end of said opening 30. The ridge 23 has a smaller inside diameter than the outside diameter of the flange 24 on the adapter I4, thereby permitting said ridge 25 toengage said flange 24 for holding said adapter l4 firmly againstthelower end of the ram I, when the coupling I7 is threadedly engaged with the threaded portion I9 of the ram II. A ring gasket 26 of any convenient conventional type having an opening through the center thereof may be placed between the lower end of the ram II and the adjacent surface of the adapter I4.

As shown in Figure 1', a transfer mechanism 34, which mechanism is fully and completely described in my co-pending application Serial No. 149,004, filed on March 10, 1950, may be provided for receiving stoppers 3| and positioning them adjacent to the contact ring 21 (Figure 2) of the adapter I4. In such position, the shank 31 of the stopper 3| is advantageously, axially aligned with the opening in the neck of the bottle 38 into which said stopper is to be inserted.

The modified adapter 40 (Figure 4) differs from the above described adapter [4 in that the from the scope of this invention, as long as they provide for a contact ring lying substantially Within a single plane, perpendicular to the axis of said adapter. It will also be recognized that adapters having various outside diameters, particularly adjacent to the contact ring, may be employed with the ram |I depending upon the diameter of the top of the stopper with which said adapter is to be used.

cific structures for effecting evacuation of the.

concavity 33 will also lie within the scope of my invention.

Operation When the apparatus I0 is assembled substan tially as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a stopper 3| is positioned with its top 32 adjacent to the contact ring 21 of the adapter I4 by means, such as the transfer mechanism 34. While this positioning is being accomplished the ram II is preferably held in the raised position by the actuating arm i3. The air within the concavity 33 is then evacuated through the passage 23 in the adapter I4, the passage It in the ram I I, the outlet opening 35 in the yoke I5, and through the suction hose 36 by the vacuum pump 39. Such. evacua tion produces a partial vacuum in the concavity 33, thereby drawing the center portion of the upper surface of the fiat top 32 of the: stopper 3| (Figures 3 and5) into said concavity 33. The contact ring 2'? at the lower end of the adapter 4 prevents movement of the periphery of theflat top 32 into said concavity, thereby effecting. a distortion of the stopper 3| whereby the shank 37 of said stopper is substantially reduced in diameter, particularly at the end thereof remote from from the fiat top 32, as best shown in Figure 5 in solid lines. From an examination of Figure 5, it will be: obvious Why a stopper having,

- a hollow shank is preferred in practicing the rocess to which this invention relates. However, it will be seen that my process is also applicable in varying extents to resilient stoppers of other types.

While the partial vacuum is maintained in. the concavity 33, the ram II is moved downwardly by the actuating arm I3 until the shank 31 is appropriately inserted into the neck of the bottle 38. Said partial vacuum in the concavity 33 is then released, thereby permitting the stopper 3 I, and especially the shank 31 thereof, to return toward its normal shape. The ram is then raised by the actuating arm I3 to a position from which another operating cycle, as above described, maybe initiated.

It will be seen that adapters having contact rings corresponding to the outside diameters of stoppers 3| of various smaller sizes may be mounted upon the lower end of the ram II by removal of the coupling IT. For stoppers of a larger size, it will obviously be necessary to replace the adapter 14 and coupling I! by a unitary structure of suitable size representing a combination of said adapter 14 and coupling l1.

Although the above-mentioned drawings and description apply to one particular, preferred embodiment of an apparatus by means of which my process may be practiced, it is not my intention, implied or otherwise, to limit the practice of my process to any particular apparatus, excepting as specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of distorting a resilient stopper having a flat top and a hollow cylindrical shank integral therewith for insertion into a bottle neck, the steps comprising: creating a partial vacuum in a zone immediately adjacently above and coaxial with the fiat top of the stopper; preventing movement of the peripheral rim of the stopper top toward said zone while efiecting movement of the center of said top partly into said zone, thereby effecting a reduction in the diameter of said shank; maintaining said partial vacuum while inserting said stopper into said bottle neck and subsequently releasing said partial vacuum.

2. In a method for inserting a resilient stopper having a fiat top and a hollow cylindrical shank integral therewith into a bottle neck of less inside diameter than the normal outside diameter of said shank, the steps comprising: presenting the flat top of the stopper co-axially against an annular surface defining a zone immediately adjacently above said stopper and having an outside diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said top; creating a partial vacuum adjacent to said top within said zone such that the central portion of said top is drawn into said zone, thereby distorting said stopper and effecting a, substantial reduction in the shank diameter thereof; moving said annular surface toward said bottle neck until said shank is inserted therein; releasing said partial vacuum, thereby releasing said stopper and the distortion thereof; and moving said annular surface away from said stopper.

3. In a method of distorting a resilient stopper having a flat top and a cylindrical shank integral therewith for insertion into a bottle neck, the steps comprising: creating a partial vacuum in the zone immediately adjacently above and coaxial with the fiat top of the stopper; preventing movement of the peripheral rim of the stopper top toward said zone while permitting the center of said top to respond to said partial vacuum and thereby move toward said zone, thereby effecting 6 a reduction in diameter of said shank; maintaining said partial vacuum while inserting said stopper into said bottle neck and subsequently releasing said partial vacuum.

4. In a method for inserting a resilient stopper having a flat top and a'hollow cylindrical shank integral therewith into a bottle neck of less inside diameter than the normal outside diameter of said shank, the steps comprising: presenting the fiat top of the stopper co-axially against an annular surface defining a zone immediately adjacently above said stopper and having an outside diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said top; creating a partial vacuum adjacent to said top within said zone such that the central portion of said top is drawn into said zone thereby distorting said stopper and efiecting a substantial reduction in the shank diameter thereof; moving said annular surface toward said bottle neck until said shank is inserted therein and releasing said partial vacuum.

5. In a method of distorting a resilient stopper having a substantially fiat top and a cylindrical shank integral therewith for insertion into a bottle neck, the steps comprising: creating a partial vacuum in the zone immediately adjacent the external surface of, and substantially coaxial with, the flat top of the stopper; preventing movement of the peripheral rim of the stopper top toward said zone in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said top while permitting the center of said top to respond to said partial vacuum and thereby move toward said zone, thereby effecting a reduction in the diameter of said shank; maintaining said partial vacuum while inserting said stopper into said bottle neck and subsequently releasing said partial Vacuum.

THOMAS A. HAYNES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,237,761 Dwyer Aug. 21, 1917 1,705,279 Bergmann Mar. 12, 1929 1,750,419 Mojonnier et al. Mar. 11, 1930 1,837,396 Barbieri Mar. 22, 1931 2,007,369 Hawkins et a1 July 9, 1935 2,042,733 Risser June 2, 1936 2,131,809 Killen Oct. 4, 1938 2,157,624 Overmyer May 9, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 110,967 Austria Oct. 25, 1928 390,471 Great Britain Apr. 6, 1933 

